Why Green, Ohio was Voted 16th Best City to Raise a Family In

Green, Ohio was voted the 16th best place in the United States to raise a family. How exactly did the small city get such recognition? As a resident and as a proud parent in Green, I believe it is a combination of the city's stellar school system, the top notch teachers who work in said school system, the expansive parks and their programs, the central location of the city, and the city's low crime rate.

Lichtenwalter 1885 schoolhouse http://www.cityofgreen.org/

History of Green

Green, Ohio was incorporated as a municipality in 1991. Before it was incorporated, the area was comprised of small unincorporated areas such as East Liberty and Greensburg. Residents fought for incorporation to prevent other areas from annexing the township. Just within the last two years, Green got its own zip code and mailing address and it still does not have its own police department. While many residents are hopeful Green will indeed get its own police department in the future, the city currently contracts with the Summit County Sheriff's Office for its police needs.

Information about Green Local Schools

The Green Local School district is comprised of The Greenwood Early Learning Center, Green Primary School, Kleckner Elementary School, Green Intermediate School, Green Middle School, and Green High School. The district's report card rates the school system as excellent in terms of academic success. For a more detailed review of the district's report card, visit the Ohio Department of Education's website Report Card for Green Local at https://webapp2.ode.state.oh.us/reportcard/archives/RC_IRN.ASP?irn=050013.

Greenwood Early Learning Center houses the preschool and kindergarten. The building is located all on one floor and has two halls. The first hall is for kindergartners and the second hall is for preschoolers. The typical preschool classroom averages 14 students and the typical kindergarten classroom averages 22 students. The preschool program is integrated, meaning it offers classes to typically developing children as well as children with learning disabilities.

Green Primary School houses the first and second grades and is a newer building, having just opened for students in 2006. It is located next door to Greenwood Early Learning Center is built in the shape of the Pentagon. It truly is a beautiful building.

Kleckner Elementary School houses the third and fourth grades. Forty-two teachers fill the building and classes average around 24 students. The building is located on Greensburg Road in Canton.

The Green Intermediate School and the Green Middle School are located side by side on Steese Road in Uniontown and house the fifth grade through the eighth grade. Both share a football stadium and baseball fields for playing.

Green High School houses grades nine through twelve and is located on Boettler Road in Uniontown. The school is newer and the gymnasium has an orchestra pit for school plays. A road that goes through the high school parking lot joins the high school back grounds and the Intermediate School and Middle School backgrounds.

All schools in the district cater to gifted children. The district not only identifies gifted students as is Ohio law, but they provide services to those students, which is not required by state law.

Heritage Hill Playground, Boettler Park, http://www.cityofgreen.org/

Southgate Park http://www.cityofgreen.org/

Information about Green's Parks

The city of Green, Ohio also has numerous parks of various sizes and uses. The most popular of the parks are:

Boettler Park, a 62.5 acre park that hosts most of the city's youth sports such as tennis, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. The park contains a 1.5 mile paved walking path and a stocked pond for fishers of all ages. The park also houses the historic 1885 Lichtenwalter one room schoolhouse and a 30,000 sq ft playground outfitted with pavilions. Boettler Park is home to fishing contests, Easter egg hunts, community Halloween parties, and sleigh rides with Santa.

East Liberty Park is the city's newest park. It is 66 acres and consists of a multi-purpose playing field, numerous basketball courts, winding hiking trails, and a giant playground.

Greensburg Park is a 28 acre park that is home to the Green Baseball and Softball Federation as well as the Green Soccer Association, Green Lacrosse Club and other great youth sporting groups.

The Southgate Park is 205 acres and abuts Boettler Park. The park has been left in its natural state to allow for abundant education opportunities about its forestland, wetlands, stocked ponds, and variety of rare and endangered plant species.

Other Admirable Traits of Green, Ohio

Location, location, location

The city of Green is located in Summit County almost exactly between Akron and Canton. Interstate 77 runs right through the city and it provides easy access to three different shopping malls, to The Football Hall of Fame, to The Akron-Canton Airport, and to FedEx Custom Critical, a large supplier of jobs. A resident feels apart from the hustle and bustle of busy city life while still being within a short drive of city attractions.

What Crime Rate?

Crime in Green, Ohio is relatively unheard of. That is one of the reasons why residents are having difficulty getting approval for their own police department. However, the city is growing at a constant rate which means more people and more traffic. Crime is inevitable, and Green is no exception. In comparison with other cities in Ohio, the crime rate of Green is enviable.

The Verdict is In

I am a firm believer that the city of Green is indeed one of the best places in the United States in which to raise a family. I will stay in Green as long as possible and watch my children develop into independent and strong individuals in a safe environment.

Comments

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Sondra 5 years agofrom Neverland

Hi John =) Im glad you found my little piece of America as nice as I find it! I know its not perfect here but it doesn't have the problems of the larger cities (yet) but Im still only 15 minutes from two malls and all the nice things you find in the city. Thanks for the vote

John Sarkis 5 years agofrom Los Angeles, CA

Hi Ardie, and what a great hub! I'm sure---in fact I know middle America is more wholesome that other places for the most part, but there is wholesome all around, you just have to search for it and that's the tough part!

Voted up

John

Author

Sondra 5 years agofrom Neverland

Hi Audra :) thanks for the vote! I love living where I am. Its quiet yet close to all the big city stuff and the schools are great.

Hi RHW, I think we would be fine to leave our doors unlocked when we are and when we are not home – but we aren’t that stupid to try our luck haha Mainly we feel safe because you cannot see the house from the road and it just looks like a private dirt road. Nobody can find us! Your story is hilarious (ONLY cuz nobody was hurt and your daughter didn't lose much)! What a moron – bet the crook got home and looked all over for those sunglasses and thought “Dang! Ace of Base and $1.30” Seriously, one would think the sheriff across the street would make a difference but obviously not. That’s too bad.

Hi Rolly :) Thanks for reading – it is a nice little neighborhood that is growing quickly. I most love the green spaces. I’ve never seen so many wonderful parks!

Rolly A Chabot 5 years agofrom Alberta Canada

Hi Ardie... Great article and I is always good too hear when people have made the right choice in calling somewhere home. Thanks for sharing...

Hugs from Canada

Kelly Umphenour 5 years agofrom St. Louis, MO

Green sounds awesome. Now you will not find a town here with no crime. The burbs are the best you can get but you must lock all your doors around here!

The sheriff lives across the street...I didn't balk when he moved in I was glad. I thought his car all lit up would be a deterrent. Nope! My daughters car got broken into right in front of his pretty picture window wouldn't you know? Criminals are dumb though - the thief got a few scratched CD's and some change. He left her his fancy "Harley Davidson" sun glasses. They were way more expensive than the CDs:)

I asked her - can you be sure it wasn't a friend of yours? She said, "ahhh no! I don't have any friends that drive a Harley!" omg! Lol

Fun, up and Excellent!!

iamaudraleigh 5 years ago

Ardie, it is nice to see you are proud of the community you live in! Boettler Park sounds like a great place to live in! voted up!

tanya 6 years ago

AB,

try Coventry my brother is disabled and he did GREAT there they are amazing with disabled children. after we moved when i was younger there was no other school that was as good as Coventry was with him.

Tanya 6 years ago

i some what agree with Nicholas Summers on the schools. i love green schools don't get me wrong but there are some things they could change to improve it. i don't like how hard they are on the kids. i was told by my children's teachers that they have no room in there budget for field trips. but my neighbors child who is in special classes has had 5 field trips this year alone. if you don't reward these children for there hard work they are not going to be VERY unhappy. they deserve to be rewarded! all i have seen from green school is A LOT of hard work on the kids. and the money issues i am having a hard time believing that they don't have money for things green is a high class neighbor hood. i've seen other schools that are very low rated have more money than them. it makes you wonder if the person in charge of the finances is really doing things in the best interest of our children. even though green schools are great in academics in my opinion Coventry schools are better!

former resident 6 years ago

Green has a minimal crime rate because its current law enforcement is the Summit County sheriff department. A major highway goes through the city (I-77) and the city borders on Stark County (home of Canton). The sheriffs were trained for a major city (Akron) as well have a main training station in Green, city proper. As a former resident that grew up there, my feeling is the only reason that Green is safe is become of the overabundance of law enforcement. This dominance permeated into the social teenage atmosphere as well. The new parks became a no-no, designed for younger generation. There is no entertainment outside the activities designed by the High School.

As a former student in Green, I can say the education was formidable, but I was in AP classes and was fairly submissive to the overwhelming authority that administration attempted to impart. I hope things have changed. I can attest to the existing administration having caused many teenagers angry, ignorant adults because of the administration's attachment to their conservative dogma.

AB 7 years ago

Our experience with the Green School system has not been good for the most part; although there are some very good staff members that do try to make up for what is lacking in the administration. We have a child with a disability and have had a difficult time getting services that he needs - as in he's not receiving them. If you have a child that is "typical", your perception and experience might be quite different of the school system.

My spouse was born in Green in the 1960's and he enjoyed growing up here. It's quite a different community than it once was - I don't feel the friendly community he referred to quite often, prior to me moving here. And, yes, I do look forward to moving one day!

Author

Sondra 8 years agofrom Neverland

Hi Stephanie and thanks for your comment. I am also proud to live in Green, which is why I wanted to write this article. My daughters are still young but all three attend Green schools and they love their teachers every year. I have yet to meet a teacher in Green that I don't like :) And you are right, every school district has problems. I'll take Green's problems any day over others I've heard about.

Stephanie 8 years ago

I have lived in Green for over 30 years and it has been a great place to raise a family. My daughter had a great experience in the Green Schools, but she also put in the effort to enjoy her life as a student. Every school system has problems. However, almost all of the teachers and staff I have met have had a true love for the students and teaching. I am always proud to say that I'm from Green.

Author

Sondra 8 years agofrom Neverland

Hi Nicholas,

I'm so sorry to hear how angry you are with Green and its schools. I do appreciate your opinion and thank you for sharing it. Hopefully one day you will find a place to call home that fits you and your needs.

Nicholas Summers 8 years ago

Green Ohio may sound like a great place to raise a family, but as a High School student here, who has lived here all of his life, I can tell you it isn't. Out of all of the people involved in running the schools, maybe a dozen total care about the students at all. Most of the people my age are jerks and many of the younger students I have met are too. The school district pretends to cater to gifted students, and they do to an extent, but they pretty much ignore our needs most of the time. The schools also waste money like you would not believe and then cut spending in the worst places. Teachers at the high school are limited to 500 sheets of paper total for an undetermined amount of time. The computer science lab has the oldest computers in the school, but the library computers that are used by other classes for research projects, etc are only a couple years old. I hate it here, and I would never raise a family here if I knew what it would be like. Ohio isn't a bad place to live, but If you have a child in Green Schools they will grow to be miserable and resentful of authority because they will learn quickly that people who make decisions aren't always (read: ever) capable of making GOOD decisions.

Author

Sondra 8 years agofrom Neverland

Hello Handy Hubby:) I've been to Put in Bay many times as well as Kelly's Island. I love both places. One is great for extra fun and the other is great for simply camping and relaxing. Im sure your wife would love Put in Bay. Theres so much to do there.

Handy Hubby 8 years agofrom Portland/Vancouver Metro area

I was from Ohio, moved when i got divorced to Portland, Oregon and now live in Washington. I just wanted to say that the great lakes have some island and we would go up 77 north to get there from St.clairsville it was about a five or six hour trip to sandusky but well worth th effort the Bass Islands ---Put in Bay were great very relaxing. I would like to take my wife there eventually.

Author

Sondra 9 years agofrom Neverland

I will look into that. I had no idea :) Is there a website? If not, I will google it, Im sure theres something about it. Thank you!

C. C. Riter 9 years ago

One thing I might mention about my city Ardie, and i'm sure you're too young to know this, we were the first to be designated Tree City in 1976. Please do come back for a visit to the Secrest Arboretum at OARDC in spring is the best, I promise you and your's will not be dissappointed.

Author

Sondra 9 years agofrom Neverland

Hi CC, I don't know too much about your area...only been that way a few times. I think the whole reason I appreciate where I live now is because I lived in cruddy Akron neighborhoods for quite some time. As for the writer's block, well, I have plenty I could write about...but now I have to worry about who I will offend in my family :D I have a hub all ready about redheads, just need to get it fine tuned now. (And thanks about my kids, I love that they are all hiding in their scarves)

CrisA, hi there! I am proud. But only because of the services available in my town. The whole community is pretty much family oriented and focuses on the children...and that's right along with my way of thinking. I know quite a few people who don't like where I live because its too boring - no night life at all.

Hi CW! My brother and his two boys live outside of Seattle and they love it there. Green pretty much touches just south of Akron

countrywomen 9 years agofrom Washington, USA

Ardie- Seattle(my city) is ok but not as great as Green. I never heard of Green earlier unlike other cities in Ohio (Cincinnati, Dayton, Akron, Cleveland and Columbus). I hope your kids grow up to be wonderful adults as you want them to be. Nice info and thumbs up for a motivating hub.

Cris A 9 years agofrom Manila, Philippines

Wow you must be really proud of your city. As a point of comparison, the city where I live is almost always considered the best in the Philippines. The cleanest, the most disciplined people, all pink and green! Yeah... i don't know if I belong! LOL :D

C. C. Riter 9 years ago

The Barn is just Norht right at the edge of Smithville on 585. There are better olaces that that though. It's fine to brag about your town, I just try not to. Wooster is nice, but I used to live in youngstown and miss that.

I can always think of something to write about, I wish i didn't need sleep so I could do more. Nice weather will be here soon and I'll need to slow down here and do other things out side. So put on your thinking cap and jub some more. cute kids there btw

Author

Sondra 9 years agofrom Neverland

Hi CC! You are right, you are indeed just over the vale :) Im thinking The Barn, am I in the right area? With a huge playground? I wasn't meaning to brag, I was just groping for things to write about at the time...I had writer's block :D

C. C. Riter 9 years ago

Hello neighbor. Your just over the vale from us. Been there a few times. I don't wanna brag aout my town, it tends to bring in wierdos. Got enough of them already like me.

Author

Sondra 9 years agofrom Neverland

Short answer, no. Long answer, there are many students who are english second language and are from China, Japan, and India. That's about the extent of the cultural diversity.

goldentoad 9 years agofrom Free and running....

Is Green culturally diverse?

Author

Sondra 9 years agofrom Neverland

Thanks for your comment. Scrappy is what Ohio needs right now so we'll keep him! :O)

justmesuzanne 9 years agofrom Texas

I hear lots of good things about Ohio. I am particularly fond of your Congressman Kucinich. He really holds people's feet to the fire and keeps them honest! He's a scrappy fella! ;)

Author

Sondra 9 years agofrom Neverland

Hi Elizabeth, I love your name. I didn't know they rated cities like that either until a friend told me about the article in the news one day. It was nice to know since I am indeed raising a family in Green, Oh :)